“U-us, on a team with the Council President!?”
“The Inter-Academy Magic Tournament, hmm……”
I muttered with a knowing face and sank into the back of the sofa.
For reference, I had no idea whatsoever what it actually was.
I hadn’t taken an interest, figuring magic-using events would have no connection to me.
“That’s amazing, Ouga! We’re going to be the academy’s representatives!”
“Being chosen as representatives in your first year is an unbelievable achievement, you two!”
“Magnificent, Lord Ouga, Miss Liche.”
“Hmph, no need to praise me like that. The celebrating can wait until after hearing Reina out.”
So stop scattering paper confetti every time something joyful happens, Alice.
Judging by how all three were reacting, this is clearly a prestigious thing.
But I don’t know it. Why did I skip past this because I wasn’t interested……!
I can’t now ask, what’s the Inter-Academy Magic Tournament?
I’ll have to draw information out of Reina without giving myself away……
Bathed in applause and confetti, I, feigning calm-as-usual, asked her:
“You’re choosing me, a man with zero magic aptitude. There must be circumstances. Start from the beginning.”
“Right…… as you know, Ouga-kun, the Inter-Academy Magic Tournament is a competition repeated hundreds of times in which students from the nine magic academies display their abilities. This year as well, in one month, it’ll be held on Lamdarb Island.”
I see — true to its name.
Across the kingdom, magic academies with their own distinctive characters are scattered.
The oldest and the one that has produced names in magical history is the Royal Lichberg Magic Academy.
“Each school sends ten three-person cells — thirty representatives — and they’re divided into the Magic Studies division, the Magic Games division, and the Magic Combat division, with overall victory decided by total points. Lichberg Magic Academy has, in recent years, captured the overall championship of this tournament every time…… except last year.”
“I see……! That’s why you want Ouga and Miss Liche……!”
Eh, eh? What does that mean?
Karen-san, please don’t cut in after agreeing with yourself.
I can’t follow at all!
“Just as Miss Lebetsenka has imagined. …… Ouga-kun, have you heard about the other magic academies?”
“That, I have. I considered them all before choosing Lichberg.”
Relieved to be asked something I could answer, I anticipated what Reina was getting at.
She’d specifically bring up the other academies because their distinct characters must be relevant.
What the others have in common but Lichberg doesn’t. Combined with the fact that we lost the championship……
”…… Ah, I see.”
The deduction I reached was a surprisingly dull one.
But I could state with confidence that this was the answer.
“You lost to a team that had commoners on it as representatives, didn’t you?”
When I said so, Reina nodded.
“In the Magic Combat division, my team ended as runner-up, and we missed the overall championship. And the problem occurred after the tournament. My teammates received severe criticism not just from the entire academy’s students but also from alumni.”
”…… Was nothing said about you, Reina?”
“That’s right. But that itself is also frustrating. As team leader, I couldn’t protect my comrades……”
”…… I went as a spectator. President Reina fought through to the end on her own. After her teammates were knocked out, she was in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous position, but she pushed the enemy down to their last one. After seeing her like that, no one criticized her.”
The reason Reina wasn’t blamed probably isn’t only that.
The looming presence of Floné Milfonti behind her must have played a role.
The brunt of the backlash fell on the other two instead.
Hah…… I see, I’m getting the picture.
“What happened to those two?”
”…… They took leaves of absence and ended up leaving the academy. They were senior Council members, and kind people…… I came to despise my own powerlessness.”
“And that’s why there are no new members on this year’s Council, right?”
”…… I don’t want to lie. As you say, Ouga-kun.”
Considering last year’s outcome, this year — with Reina remaining — they must win.
If they miss the championship, what happens? After being shown that terrifying ending, of course students won’t volunteer.
If you join the Council, the odds of being put on a team with Reina rise.
Bottom line — I’m being used as a convenient sacrifice.
The greenhouse-raised cowards of this academy ran from the no-loss-allowed pressure and effectively wrote off “this year’s Inter-Academy Magic Tournament,” saying losing would be unavoidable.
Heh heh heh…… the pathetic-ness is almost funny.
In every world, the passing of the buck is an ugly thing.
As a result, Reina has been backed into a corner so thoroughly she has to rely on us……
“Reina. There’s one thing I want to ask.”
“What is it. If I can answer, anything.”
“Why pick me and Mashiro?”
“Because I’m convinced that with the two of you, we can win the championship.”
…… Heh, an instant reply.
That alone would satisfy me, but I’ll intentionally not be satisfied.
If it’s Reina, she must have a complete script prepared to talk me into it.
“Why? You think two of us only a few months into enrollment have that kind of strength?”
“There are three grounds.”
She held up three fingers.
“One: you and Miss Liche are first-years for whom data is scarce. Due to the timing and class curriculum, first-years are rarely selected as representatives in the Inter-Academy Magic Tournament. That alone is a surprise attack.”
“Two: Ouga-kun, despite being unable to use magic, defeated the Crown Prince. That strength will surely carry — as someone who competed myself, I’m confident.”
“Three…… this is conjecture, but Miss Liche has live combat experience, doesn’t she? The day Ouga-kun was about to demonstrate magic — there’s no way you’ve been doing nothing since then, is there?”
The look she shot me said now what.
I tugged the corner of my mouth up and slowly clapped my hands.
“Heh heh heh…… you’ve drawn quite the script to get the two of us, with no track record, into the field.”
“Because you have that much value.”
“Hmph, no fool could turn down such words from the great Council President. Right, Mashiro?”
“Yeah! I want to help the Council President!”
”…… So that means——”
“Yeah. Let me show the world the royal road of Ouga Veret……!”
“And Mashiro Liche, walking beside Ouga, comes with him……!”
“Lord Ouga, Miss Liche…… congratulations!!”
I stood and struck a pose; Mashiro mirrored me.
And Alice made the confetti bloom for the second time.
“Both of you…… thank you.”
Hearing our responses, the relieved Reina patted down the front of her perfectly flat chest.
The tension in her expression was completely gone.
Our participation must have been an extremely important matter for her.
“No need for thanks. But there’ll be pushback against us being chosen as representatives, won’t there.”
“I don’t think so. Everyone knows the rumors about Ouga-kun.”
“The rumors……? Heh heh heh…… so that’s it.”
When it comes to me, the rumors are all of the bad variety.
So the academy guys want to put me on the team and make a laughingstock of me.
I’m of noble birth but with zero magic aptitude, and steeped in bad reputation.
Mashiro is commoner-born.
A casting more suited to a foregone-loss couldn’t exist.
It’s like drawing a losing ticket on purpose. Of course they accept it.
Thinking about it that way — my motivation is rising.
Winning the championship and showing them the glory has its own villain charm.
Let me give them something to look at.
“Well, fine. With this, we are officially a team with a shared goal: victory. Today’s gathering had meaning in that sense, too.”
“Mhm, mhm! If we’re a team, we have to get closer. I don’t know anything about the Council President!”
“True. I didn’t know the Council President liked such cute brands either.”
“This, well…… I don’t usually wear these, but today there are circumstances……”
“Could it be — you got dressed up for our sake!?”
“Um…… yes — not exactly, but not far off, perhaps.”
“Ehehe, that makes me happy somehow!”
Mashiro, emotions exploded, sat next to Reina and hugged her.
”……!? ……!?”
In that instant, Reina’s expression became something extraordinary.
For a have-not like Reina, Mashiro’s hug must have been too stimulating……
I get it…… I get it. That’s a drug of a hug.
Once you’ve been on the receiving end, your body can no longer be satisfied with ordinary hugs.
“All right, enough of the stiff talk. I’ve prepared sweets. Let’s enjoy the time we have. Reina, sorry to ask, but could you brew the tea?”
“O-of course, with pleasure.”
“With that in mind, Mashiro — release her.”
“Okayyy. Oh, then Ouga, let’s hug too!”
“Wha——”
The moment I threw a lifeline, the Mashiro-pai bomb came at me.
“M-Miss Liche!? Unfair! I’ll — I’ll join too! Hyah!”
My face was buried in boobs from both sides.
A happy space of softness packed all around — wait, hold on.
I’m thrilled both of you are happy, but with this tight a seal, breathing is hard——!
”……! Both of you, please release Lord Ouga! He is on the verge of suffocation!”
“Eh~? You and your funny jokes, Miss Alice. Right, Ouga…… Ouga?”
”…………”
“Ougaaaa!?”
”…… In the time it took me to prepare the tea, all this……?”
And so a noisy nighttime tea party began.